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Protest over Hike in Train Fare

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Patna: Students with affiliation to the All India Students' Federation (AISF) in Patna on Wednesday took out a rally to protest the hike in passenger train fare by the Indian Railways.

The protestors also burnt an effigy of Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal accusing the UPA government of trying to destroy the lower and middle-lower class by continuing to raise the prices of train fares, kerosene, petrol, and diesel, besides basic food items.

Strong protests were also lodged by the Communist Party of India (CPI) leaders who dubbed the decision to raise the price of train fare 'anti-people'.

Demanding immediate rollback of the latest fare hike, CPI state secretary Rajendra Prasad Singh said that the decision by the UPA government was adding insult to injury after it raised the price of essential items just few weeks ago.

Reacting to the price hike of railway tickets, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president and former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav said that the entire Railway Ministry was in shamble since he was removed by the Trinamool Congress president Mamata Banerjee.

"Raising passenger fare would do no good to the department that is going through unprecedented financial turmoil. This will only irk the poor people and harm the UPA government in the long run. To put the railways back in black, the government must focus on freight charges as I did during my tenure," Yadav said.

As reported, the new rates will go into effect from January 21. It is expected to earn an additional Rs. 6,600 crore per year.